Japan in June 2026: the most important developments in society
Japan in June 2026 was shaken by a run of earthquakes. Strong quakes struck northern Japan on June 24 and 25, with magnitudes reported between 6.9 and 7.2; no tsunami warning was issued, and Shinkansen services in the north were halted. On June 26 another strong quake struck central Japan, and train services between Tokyo and Shizuoka were suspended. A magnitude 5.5 quake hit near Tokyo on June 16, and a magnitude 6.1 quake jolted the northeast on June 28. Earlier, on June 8, a strong earthquake off the Philippines brought a tsunami advisory for Japan's Pacific coasts, with waves observed in three regions.
Storms ran through the whole month. Tropical Storm Jangmi approached Okinawa on June 1 and made landfall in western Japan on June 3 as Typhoon 6, bringing heavy rain to Tokyo, power outages to 60,000 homes and the collapse of a section of National Route 477 in Osaka. Typhoon 7 was forecast to approach Okinawa around June 27. Heavy rain suspended Kyushu Shinkansen services on June 23, another double barrage of storms was forecast for the week of June 24, and on June 26 Japan ordered a mass evacuation ahead of a typhoon.
Bear attacks continued. By June 2 they had caused 23 casualties since April, including three deaths; by June 5 the count was four dead and 21 injured. On June 8 a city closed 94 schools after the first bear sighting in its area, and the bear was captured the next day. Schools in a Tokyo suburb are to receive bear spray.
Population figures set a record low: the fertility rate for 2025 fell for the tenth straight year, and the number of children under 15 fell for the 44th consecutive year. The government tightened migration policy, and Chinese residents said they feared stricter visa rules. On June 23 Okinawa marked 81 years since the wartime battle on the island, and Prime Minister Takaichi was heckled at a memorial event there.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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